


No Rush

by crobatics



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:14:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28675782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crobatics/pseuds/crobatics
Summary: Almost five years after the events of Sun and Moon, Guzma isn't doing as well as he thought he would. Thank the Tapu he has the best person in the world at his side.
Relationships: Guzma/Plumeri | Plumeria (Pokemon)
Kudos: 12





	No Rush

“Woah! Hey! Slow down!”

Before Guzma’s hands could make it to the roots of his hair, Plumeria had recalled her Salazzle and rushed across their beachside battlefield to grab them. Her Pokemon weren’t the only thing she’d been training; she was strong enough now to gently, but firmly, wrap his arms around her before returning the favor.

Pressed up against him, Plumeria could feel his racing heartbeat, hear the haphazard breathing as Guzma did his best to do as he was told.

“I can’t-“ he started. “I lost- I’m not- She was right- What the fuck-“

A scattershot of thoughts, not one of them complete. 

Plumeria let him get it out the best he could. She took slow, measured breaths and hoped to the Tapu that he would follow her lead: nice and easy, the way she always did.

They stood there on the beach, the waves rolling against the sand, until their heartbeats synced. Then Plumeria felt Guzma’s grip around her tighten into a real hug and not a desperate clutch for stability.

“Fuckin’ embarrassing,” she heard him mutter against the top of her head.

“Guz, everybody loses—“

“Not that,” he growled. “You beat me fair and square and here I am making you do this. Again.”

Plumeria let out an involuntary laugh. “Nobody makes me do anything.”

Since coming to terms with what had happened those years ago with the Aether Foundation, Guzma had rededicated himself to, well, himself. Every once in a while, Plumeria met up with him for a real Pokemon battle. And every time, she’d beat him, no matter how much better he’d gotten.

Normally, their meetings felt like home. They’d laugh and reminisce, and the loser would treat Plumeria to a malasada. But every once in a while, he still struggled like this.

Battling was hard for Guzma, and losing was even harder. Both activities were wrapped up in moments Guzma no longer cared to talk about, not even with Plumeria. He was impatient to get better, and not just at battling.

“You know there’s no rush, right?” Plumeria said finally. “You don’t have to have it all figured out today or even a year from now.”

It was Guzma’s turn to laugh. “You’ve been sayin’ that for almost five years.”

“And I’ll keep saying it,” she said. “However long it takes.”

The man grunted. “Of course you would, long as you keep getting free food out of it.”

Plumeria grinned and pushed Guzma away. “That’s not what I meant, asshole, and you know it.”

“What’re you gonna do?” he asked, jamming his hands into his pockets. “Say no to a free malasada?”

“Never.”

Guzma jerked his head towards town, where the restaurant awaited them. She took his arm, and off they went. As they stepped off the beach and emptied the sand out of their shoes, Plumeria gave the tired man a long, hard look.

“You sure you’re alright, Guz?”

“No.” He smiled at her. “But I’m getting better. At my own pace."

**Author's Note:**

> In 2021 Sun and Moon will have been out for five years. Today I was thinking about the incident from my own life that made Guzma's story resonate with me so much. This is what it's like I guess. Guzma and I are hanging in there.
> 
> When people comment on Strong or Swords Dance, it means the world to me. Thank you for reading.


End file.
